Clasp for wrist watch bands



Aug. 15, 1950"- R. JAccARlNo 2,518,551

CLASP FOR WRIST WATCH vBANDS Filed Ilarch 30,1948

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Patented Aug. 15, 1950 f a n 2,518,551 f A 'CISBFUR' WRIST WADGIj- IBNDS s Riohardlaccarinm.WestchestenslountmY.. v.. Application MarchlU, 1948, `Se`riaLNo.g152,982

' Claims: (Cl. Zidi-Willi MyA inventionrelates to'- claspsH for wrist; watch bands,- and-j the obiect fof# the-invention=isL to provide a clasp that 'willi automaticalifyf compensateefor-'normal changes in` llnessofthewearersi Another object of the iinrentiorrisA to-rprovide a clasp-naving-fal yielding-ly attached slide provided with a predetermined,y longitudinal displacement.

turthen 4olojjecteofu the@inventionA is: tof provide a clasp of the folding type, havinga-,manually releasable latch ,which-.1 automatieally,V locks the clasp inthe folded or closed position.

v In''tl'ie'appended drawing-forming part off this application: y n

Figure 1v i'sfa longitudinali section through the clasp in p an` unfolded or open position;

f- Figure 2' is -afragmentary:elevation'bf the hinged sections of the clasp as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-section on line 3 3, Figure 1, through the clasp in a closed or locked position;

Figure 4 is a cross-section on line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5 5, Figure 1, When the clasp is in locked position; and

Figure 6 is a cross-section on line 6 6, Figure l.

Referring to the drawing:

Ill is a housing of the clamp, which is shallow in depth and is slightlyarcuated to conform to the curvature of the wrist. It is open at each end and also in the back through its entire length, but not through its entire width, therefore leavingat each side wall I2 strip-like portions II, as shown best in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive.

'I'he side Walls I2 of the housing Il] with the strips Il on one side and the top I3 on the other side form a U-channel at each side of the housing I0, as seen from Figures 3 to 6 inclusive. The housing I near one end thereof has lugs I4, each rising from a corresponding strip II towards the top. 'I'he lugs I4 on the opposite strips II are aligned and are clear of the bottom opening of the housing.

Each lug I4 is provided with an aperture constituting a bearing for the corresponding trunnions I of a link I6 arcuated longitudinally in vconformity with that of the housing I0. The link I6 at the other end has also trunnions I1, bearing in corresponding apertures I8 provided in the side walls I9 of a cover 20 for the bottom opening of the housing I0. The cover 20 is also arcuated to conform to that of the housing, and it is provided with hooked portions 2I in the side walls near the other end thereof. A portion of the side walls of thee-cover 20 is cut out'as shown at 22 to permit the laterally extending edges '153i of the links I62to.- 't therein (see Figure 4) when: the` coverl 261 and'` the link I6. are folded into the housing.. The central part of the; side. Walls |91 of the coverv 20 is raised sufficiently as shown ata 24.vv 17o-bear against the inner face of thetopl I3..of"the1housing- I6 when the .cover 20' isf-closed.

The side Walls- I12`of the housing near the lugs M: havef=e1ongatedifacingand aligning slots 2 5 .seerl'igures l and 5); intorwhich av pin 26 is fitted om'ove` longitudinally ofthe housing Ii);` The pin' 2li-is providedlvvitl'iA heads 2'I` on the outsideof the side wa-I'lsnl'Z- of: the housing I6 to preventv the; pinproper from` moving out axially; By gripping'thef. heads 2T with the fingers, the pin may be moved` againstcompression, springs 28 'located'= within the-f lai-channelsv of' the housing, which springs 28 have one end thereof butted against the pin 26 while the other end is engaging a brace or bar 29 extending within the housing transversely thereto, as best seen in Figures 1 and 5.

When the link I6 and the cover 20 are folded into the housing I0, the hooks 2| on the Wallsl I9 of the cover 20 force the pin 26 to move by compressing the springs 28, thus permitting the hooked parts to register with the pin 26; the pressure on the springs 28 being released, the pin 26 is returned by the springs to engage the hooking parts 2 I, thereby locking the folded clasp, where by the cover is automatically latched in the housmg.

Ihe clasp cannot be opened until the pin 26 has been moved by gripping with ngers the heads 21 thereof on the outside of the sides of the housing IIJ and moved to compress the springs 28 to move the pin 26 to clear the hooks 2 I so that the links I E and cover 2l] can be unfolded as shown in Figure 1. The cover 20 at the end remote from where it is connected with the link I6 has a cross-bar 30, to which a Wrist band is securable.

The housing IIJ at the end remote from Where the movable pin 26 is located is fitted With a slide 3| The slide is preferable in the shape of a U-channel, the sides 3|' of which engage the side Walls I2 of the housing I0 with the bottom of slide 3|, contacting the interior surface of the top I3 of the housing I0, asbest shown in Figure 1. The end portions of the sides 3|' of the slide which extend out at the end of the housing I0 are rounded up and carry thereat a. bar 32 extending across the slide and secured in the walls 3l' thereof. This bar 32 serves as a VYiitted, as best shown in Figures 1 and 6.

The slide 3ln is normally maintained Within the housing I 0 by tension springs 35, each spring has one end thereof hooked on the corresponding n lug 33 of the slide 3| and the other end of each spring 35 is anchored t0 the bar 29, as will be seen from Figures 1 and 3.

Thus it will be seen that the slide 3| is yieldingly attached to the housing of the clasp, and the slightest pull on the bar 32 carriedby the slide will cause it to move out from the housing. In consequence any change in the fullness of the wrist would ybe automatically compensated by the yielding attachment of the slide with the clasp formed by the springs 35.

I claim:

1. A clasp comprising a shallow housing open at the bottom, a cover for the bottom, said coverr having means at one end for attaching a wrist band, a link hinged with one end to the other end of the cover, the other end of said link being hinged near one end of the housing, whereby said link will fold into the housing when the cover closes the bottom of the housing, a slide mounted in the housing at the end remote from where the link is hinged, said slide having means.

for securing a wrist band thereto, means` connecting yieldingly the slide to the housing for retracting the slide, a spring actuated sliding pin in the side walls of the housing near the hinge of the link with the housing, said pin extending transversely of the housing toA slide longitudinally Yof said housing and having means on the outer` faces of the side walls for sliding the pin against the resistance of the spring, and hooking means carried by the cover to engage the sliding pin to lock the cover to the housing When closing the bottom opening.

2. A clasp comprising a longitudinally curved shallow housing provided with a longitudinal opening at the bottom so as to provide U-channelled passages on the sides thereof, a correspondinglycurved coverffor said bottom, having means at one end thereof for attaching a wrist band, a correspondingly curved link connected with one end thereof to the end of the cover remote from where the band attaching means are provided, said link being hinged with the other end thereof to one end 0f the housing, hooking means at the band attaching means of the cover, a pin slidably mounted in the housing, to move transversely of its axis, springs in the channelled portion of the housing pushing the pin towards the hooking means when the cover is in the bottom opening, said pin having nger gripping means at each side of the housing for moving the same against the springsv and whereby the clasp may be unfolded, and means for yieldingly securing a wrist band to the housing.

RICHARD JACCARINO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Ritter Nov. 11, 1941 

